Big third period propels Sharks

SAN JOSE --The San Jose Sharks had 37 shots and one goal through two periods of a tie game against the New York Rangers at SAP Center on Saturday.
San Jose kept applying pressure, and Joe Thornton, Joel Ward and Joe Pavelski scored in a span of 3:20 in the third period when the Sharks defeated the Rangers 4-1.

Ward scored a second-period goal, Tomas Hertl had an NHL career-high three assists, and Martin Jones made 25 saves for the Sharks (40-25-6), who began a six-game homestand.
San Jose had a season-high 52 shots on goal to 26 for the Rangers (40-24-8), whose three-game winning streak at SAP Center ended.

"Really, on the bench, it never felt [frustrating]," Pavelski said. "There's some nights it feels like that. It didn't really feel like that because I think we were getting the pucks back after we shot it. It wasn't one and done. It was two, three opportunities. Guys were getting good looks, working hard. It was a four-line game tonight, too."
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist gave up four goals on 47 shots and was pulled for backup Antti Raanta at 9:05 of the third period after Pavelski scored to increase the lead to 4-1.
Former Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle scored for the Rangers to give him a goal against all 30 NHL teams.
"It was ugly as it's ever been," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said. "That type of game like this at this time of year is garbage. We have to be better. We're just trying to make plays that aren't there. We aren't making plays when they are there. We're fighting it all the way. When you are doing that you have to rely on your defensive game. You're naked out there. There's chance after chance. Everyone has to search themselves. Defense is part of the game."

The game was tied 1-1 entering the third period, but Thornton scored at 5:45, knocking a rebound past Lundqvist for his 17th goal of the season. Hertl had the first assist after driving hard to the net from the right circle and shooting from close range. Lundqvist made the save but couldn't cover the puck.
Ward made it 3-1 at 7:35 with his 19th of the season and second of the game, beating Lundqvist on a 3-on-2 rush with a snap shot from the right circle.
"We were confident," Ward said. "Anytime you get that many shots, we were fine. We felt good about ourselves."
Pavelski scored his 33rd goal at 9:05. He took a cross-ice pass from Hertl and scored on a wrist shot from the right circle when the puck bounced off Lundqvist and over the goal line.

"I've been feeling pretty good about my game," Lundqvist said. "I think I've done a lot of good things but it hasn't been enough. I need to focus on my game and be better. We need to figure it out and make more saves. It was a tough game to play, so many big chances. There's only one way to win hockey games, is to play hard and smart but if you are missing that a little bit it's going to be tough against a good team."
The Rangers ended their three-game, California road trip with a 1-1-1 record. They defeated the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 on Wednesday and lost to the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in overtime on Thursday.
Ward gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 6:01 of the second period with a power-play goal. Joonas Donskoi sent a no-look, backhand pass from behind the net to Ward, who beat Lundqvist from the right circle with a wrist shot to the upper left corner of the net.
"It was a great pass by [Donskoi] behind the net," Ward said. "Was kind of hoping he saw me open there and he did, behind his back. It was an unbelievable pass."

The Rangers answered at 17:32 of the second period when Boyle scored for the first time in 12 games against the Sharks. Boyle took a cross-ice pass from Derick Brassard in the slot on a 2-on-1 rush, faked right, went left and beat Jones with a backhand from close range.
Boyle played his second game at SAP since signing with the Rangers following the 2013-14 season. He spent six seasons (2008-14) with San Jose, and also played for the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Sharks outshot the Rangers 21-9 in the second period, but Lundqvist made 20 saves.

Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (lower body) and forward Matt Nieto (hand) did not play. Dylan DeMelo, who was called up Saturday from the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League, replaced Vlasic, and Tommy Wingels replaced Nieto. Wingels missed the previous 14 games, the first 12 with a shoulder injury and the final two as a healthy scratch.
"The guys that stepped in were ready to play," Pavelski said. "They filled in nicely. [DeMelo] has done a great job all year, so to see him go back in. It's good to see him play well. And [Wingels] has been waiting for a chance. It's good to see him get in and have a productive game."
Sharks center Patrick Marleau played his 1,400th NHL game, becoming the 36th player in NHL history to do so. Marleau, who turned 36 on Sept. 15, is the youngest player in NHL history to reach the milestone.